Roasted Beet Salad

This Roasted Beet Salad makes a regular appearance at our family dinner table. My kids have been eating (and loving) it since they learned how to chew. It's a great dish to serve when entertaining large groups, too--I made the mega-sized platter above for a recent brunch for 20. I far prefer roasting beets to boiling them and will either wrap them separately in foil and place them directly on the oven rack or put them in a baking dish with a small amount of water, covered with foil. The latter technique is outlined below and loosely based on Alice Waters' Marinated Beet Salad recipe from The Art of Simple Food (a favorite resource). I usually add a chopped shallot to the dressing as I like the combo of the mild oniony flavor with the sweetness of the beets. Or I'll top them with chopped chives. You can mix beets of various colors, which makes for an even more beautiful looking salad. I typically serve the beets alongside a green salad after dinner. If I have leftovers, I'll throw in some walnuts and chévre and call it lunch!

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

• 1 pound beets
  1 tablespoon red wine vinegar (or, if you like the flavor of orange with your beets, substitue or combine vinegar with fresh orange juice)
  2-3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  1 small shallot, finely chopped
  Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.

2. Trim the greens and wash beets thoroughly.

3. Put beets in a baking dish with a little water (about 1/8 of an inch).

4. Cover tightly with foil and bake the beets until they can be easily pierced with a sharp knife--30 minutes to an hour, depending on their size. Uncover and cool completely.

5. While the beets are cooling, combine the oil, vinegar and shallots and set aside.

6. When the beets are cooled, cut off the tops and roots and peel off the skins. Cut the peeled beets into small wedges and place in bowl.

7. Toss the beets with the dressing and serve. Add salt and pepper to taste.